Monte Carlo Rolex Masters 2023, Monaco, ATP Masters 1000

[MargaretMcAleer]

I decided to watch The Young Greek's match against Bonzi, to see how his shoulder was holding up, well the match didnt last long as Bonzi had to retire 1-4 with a wrist injury,

 

[Moxie]

The Crown Prince is a bit of a paradox.

Sasha is definitely entitled & arrogant but you can’t help but wonder if it’s more & more a coping defense mechanism.

This month Zverev turns 26 (!)which is insanely young for most things in life, but to someone who at 20 was the anointed next tennis champ the clock is definitely ticking.

All the younger players, (Alcaraz, Sinner, Rune & FAA ) have bested him in the last year as Zverev is now approaching “middle age” in tennis years.

I think you're being generous to him, but I also realize I'm being harsh on him. (Ask @El Dude...He says I forget how good he is, and he's right.)

I don't think it's a defense mechanism. It think he's tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and handsome...and worth millions of dollars. He's talented enough to know he is, but too arrogant to turn it into real tennis gold. IMO. We'll see what happens in the next couple of years, but, I don't think he's got the goods in his head. I don't think he's hungry enough.

 

[Moxie]

Novak showed rust in his first match, but got the job done. Never heard of Gakov, but he acquitted himself reasonably well.

 

[tented]

 

[El Dude]

I think you're being generous to him, but I also realize I'm being harsh on him. (Ask @El Dude...He says I forget how good he is, and he's right.)

I don't think it's a defense mechanism. It think he's tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and handsome...and worth millions of dollars. He's talented enough to know he is, but too arrogant to turn it into real tennis gold. IMO. We'll see what happens in the next couple of years, but, I don't think he's got the goods in his head. I don't think he's hungry enough.

One thing to consider about Zverev is that for years we've basically had the Big Four, plus one or two guys with short periods as elites (Del Potro, Wawrinka), then a big drop to "2nd tier" types like Nishikori, Raonic, Ferrer, Tsonga and Berdych. But there's a lot of room between Andy Murray and Tsonga/Berdych...but the tour has been relatively lacking in such players during the Big Four era.

I think Medvedev, Zverev, and possibly Tsitsipas slot in between Murray (lesser great) and Tsonga/Berdych (very good/2nd tier types). They're more in the Gerulaitis, Muster, Chang tier - not great, but more than 2nd tier and within the elite of their era.

Now you could make an argument that Tsonga, Berdych, and especially Ferrer simply had the bad luck to peak alongside the Big Four, whereas Medvedev, Zverev, and Tsitsipas are peaking in the waning years of the Big Four, so have more opportunities for big titles and such. But I do think that they are higher caliber players, and a notch above the Berdychs and Tsongas of the world (who I would compare more to Rublev, Berrettini, Hurkacz, etc).

So sure, Sascha hasn't fulfilled the "heir apparent" appellation that some gave him back in 2016 or so. But he's still very good, and a bonafide elite player of the era (at least he was until his injury).

 

[don_fabio]

Musetti was ruthless today against Nardi, 6:0 6:0. Now he gets to play Novak, I'd say there is some chance of an upset here. Novak is vulnerable early in the clay season and he lacks matchplay.

Another interesting match is Rune Thiem. Thiem says his wrist feels ok now and he is confident of hitting forehand with full power. But he split with Massu. Who is training him now?

 

[Moxie]

One thing to consider about Zverev is that for years we've basically had the Big Four, plus one or two guys with short periods as elites (Del Potro, Wawrinka), then a big drop to "2nd tier" types like Nishikori, Raonic, Ferrer, Tsonga and Berdych. But there's a lot of room between Andy Murray and Tsonga/Berdych...but the tour has been relatively lacking in such players during the Big Four era.

I think Medvedev, Zverev, and possibly Tsitsipas slot in between Murray (lesser great) and Tsonga/Berdych (very good/2nd tier types). They're more in the Gerulaitis, Muster, Chang tier - not great, but more than 2nd tier and within the elite of their era.

Now you could make an argument that Tsonga, Berdych, and especially Ferrer simply had the bad luck to peak alongside the Big Four, whereas Medvedev, Zverev, and Tsitsipas are peaking in the waning years of the Big Four, so have more opportunities for big titles and such. But I do think that they are higher caliber players, and a notch above the Berdychs and Tsongas of the world (who I would compare more to Rublev, Berrettini, Hurkacz, etc).

So sure, Sascha hasn't fulfilled the "heir apparent" appellation that some gave him back in 2016 or so. But he's still very good, and a bonafide elite player of the era (at least he was until his injury).

In fairness to Zed, I found an article that seems to put his sentences in the order that he spoke them, and it comes off much better:

When asked whether he thought he would have won the semi-final had he been able to continue, Zverev confirmed he thought he could.
"For some reason I did. I don't want to sound arrogant," he said.
"Rafa is obviously the best player to ever play on that surface so you never know what happens. You never know what happens in that match as well. If I don't get injured, of course I [could have lost] that match. Of course, he can go on to win his 14th Grand Slam.
"But I felt like I was playing my best tennis that I've ever played on that surface. So for some reason, I did feel like I could at least compete with him, which I was doing.
"The outcome of the match obviously, always depends on little factors as well. But I did feel like that could have been the week for me."

 

[Moxie]

@Jelenafan continues his secret campaign to turn me into a Rune fan. In addition to mentioning, in more than one post, how much "moxie" young Holger has, now he's got him kitted out in head to toe burnt orange, the team color of the Texas Longhorns, my alma mater. Very sly.

Rune won the first 6-2, and is now up the break in the middle of the 2nd. Astonishing return on Thiem's drop shot just there.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

@Jelenafan continues his secret campaign to turn me into a Rune fan. In addition to mentioning in more than one post, how much "moxie" young Holger has, now he's got him kitted out in head to toe burnt orange, the team color of the Texas Longhorns, my alma mater. Very sly.

Rune won the first 6-2, and is now up the break in the middle of the 2nd. Astonishing return on Thiem's drop shot just there.

Your a Rune fan now help me lol!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

In fairness to Zed, I found an article that seems to put his sentences in the order that he spoke, and it comes off much better:

When asked whether he thought he would have won the semi-final had he been able to continue, Zverev confirmed he thought he could.
"For some reason I did. I don't want to sound arrogant," he said.
"Rafa is obviously the best player to ever play on that surface so you never know what happens. You never know what happens in that match as well. If I don't get injured, of course I [could have lost] that match. Of course, he can go on to win his 14th Grand Slam.
"But I felt like I was playing my best tennis that I've ever played on that surface. So for some reason, I did feel like I could at least compete with him, which I was doing.
"The outcome of the match obviously, always depends on little factors as well. But I did feel like that could have been the week for me."

I dont know where you found that article to the one I found but it does sound better to the one I found,
I have worked and lived in Germany, German people can be very direct and arrogrant, that is just a trait of their personality I guess,
when you get to know them better, they are fine, they are very hard working people.So personally I dont hold anything against Sasha, though as times he has to Engage Brain Before Speaking as people can take his words out of context, especially the media, where at times they only want to write not the whole story just parts thereof I see you got that article from Tennis Majors,'I got my article from a tennis journalist, who just picked out bits and pieces from what Sasha said..

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Don Fabio,

Dom's new coach is Benjammin Ebrahimzadeh, who is with him at MC,
Just looked him up he is a Iranian - German tennis player who competed for the Iran Davis Cup team in 2008. ( also he used to train Angie Kerber 2012-2015)

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I hope Diego Schwartzman shoulder is okay he had to retire in his match against Jannik Sinner 60 3-1

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

As I thought Rune would win in SS 62 64,
It will be interesting to see if Doms's new coach Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh can help him find consistent form, which he has been lacking since he came back to the tour after his injury

 

[Moxie]

I didn't see the first set, but Goodall says Berrettini was up 5-0 on Cerundulo, who then won 7 games in a row and took the first set! WTF, Matteo? On serve in the 2nd. TC showing it now.

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

I didn't see the first set, but Goodall says Berrettini was up 5-0 on Cerundulo, who then won 7 games in a row and took the first set! WTF, Matteo? On serve in the 2nd. TC showing it now.

Dont underestimate Cerundulo on clay? there is still a lot of work Matteo has to do to get back to his former level, it is Matteo's birthday today as well lol!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Just saw a fan in the crowd with a tee shirt on saying " I Miss You Rafa" lol!

 

[MargaretMcAleer]

Matteo had 4 BPs and failed to convert any of them? TB for the 2nd set
Cerundolo won the 1st set 75
The Birthday Boy aka Matteo found his serve in the TB and won 76(1) going 3, hopefully he can keep his mind and focus on the match now.Matteo received some antiflamatory pills before the start of the 3rd set from the doctor
Berrettini d Cerundolo 57 76(1) 64 he will play Rune next, I dont like his chances at all in that match up
Happy 27th birthday Matteo!

 

[El Dude]

It took me a bit to realize that there are two Cerundolos.

 

[Jelenafan]

Dang, Mussetti double bageled his compatriot Luca Nardi. Is he actually “back” ?

 

[Moxie]

Your a Rune fan now help me lol!

Nah, just pointing out the lengths to which Jelenafan will go to convert people over.